WGHS Found/Re-Found Favorite Movies this Summer

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

Over the summer of 2026, WGHS students and staff around the school spent some of their free time watching movies, ranging from superhero adventures to childhood favorites. 
by Zeke Hughes, Layla Joy Parson, Grant Dillard, Mariana Castaneda, and Delano Sutherland

Over the summer of 2026, WGHS students and staff around the school spent some of their free time watching movies, ranging from superhero adventures to childhood favorites. While some movies went above and beyond expectations, others had students and staff wishing they had been better.

Seniors
Seniors Wyatt Hawkins and Leo Sanchez enjoyed different movies over the summer, but both came to one conclusion. Hawkins enjoyed Toy Story 5 this summer, claiming it to be “just so relatable.” His favorite scene was when the toys finally beat the iPad and conquered the electronics. However, Hawkins said Obsession did not meet his expectations because he was simply expecting it to be better.

Sanchez enjoyed Supergirl and even compared it to another of his favorite movies. “I liked it because it was like Guardians of the Galaxy, and that one was pretty good, too.” Sanchez’s favorite scene from Supergirl was when the titular character fought everyone at the end of the movie and defeated them all! Sanchez also came to the same conclusion as Hawkins: that Obsession just wasn't all that and a bag of chips. “Obsession didn't meet my expectations because everyone was hyping it up to be this really scary movie, and it wasn't that scary.” He expected the movie to actually be scary, but he said it ended up not being the slightest bit frightening and was overall pretty bad.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Juniors
Jack King and Ivan Hernandez also watched a few movies during the summer. Jack King said that this year he didn't find many new movies interesting, but he did enjoy watching Pacific Rim over the summer. He got a kick out of the movie because it had plenty of fighting and giant robot battles. “I found it entertaining because it had a bunch of fighting, and it was cool to see.” His favorite scene was the ending because of the action. Unlike some students, he found all the summer movies equal to his expectations.

Ivan Hernandez enjoyed The Lego Movie. Ivan claims that he enjoyed the movie because of the many times Batman was shown. Ivan says, “It was my favorite movie this summer because it's always just been a childhood banger,” citing the nostalgic feeling it evokes. Ivan mentions how Obsession just didn't meet his expectations, and claims that he wishes Obsession were “just better” and more enjoyable.

Sophomores
Sophomore Nyla White was fond of the MCU’s latest installment, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. “My opinion on it is it’s really good, but at the same time, it's kind of sad too if you really watch the movie,” she remarked. “I really liked the whole movie. There's nothing I didn't like about the movie. It was really good.” She also said that she went and saw the movie with her closest friend, Lemoya, certainly making sure the two of them don’t forget their cinema experience anytime soon.

Freshmen
Freshmen Charles Moreman and Dawson Cloer made sure to make memories at the movies this year, but each watched very different movies. Charles’s favorite was Kane Parsons’ new film, Backrooms. “I think it was great; you know, I liked how you could take it on so many different layers. It would have a different meaning for everybody,” Charles commented. He also found Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu to be an underrated blast of a fun time. “It's a very good movie. I like the characters more compared to Backrooms.”

Dawson, however, was looking forward to superhero action mixed with an emotional story. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day is probably my favorite,” Dawson remarked. “I thought it was really, really cool.” Dawson mentioned the new horror film Obsession as a letdown, interestingly enough following the same pattern as many other students. He enjoyed the ending and appreciated just how messed up it was, but stated that he would’ve liked to see more spooks and scares along the way with just a little bit more gore.

Teachers & Staff
Coach Ham spent some time with his kids at the movies this summer, and Dr. Brantley enjoyed a political action-filled thriller show over her summer. Close to the end of the summer, Coach Ham took his kids and wife to the movies to see the live-action adaptation of the well-known animated movie Moana. Even though he’s not the biggest fan of Disney movies, he enjoyed the time with his kids. “Seeing the excitement on my kids' faces watching it really was the big thing for me.” Being able to spend those moments with his kids, who were truly excited to watch the film, made every second better.

The principal, Dr. Amanda Brantley, expressed her favoritism for the hit show The Night Agent; watching the show left her surprised by how good it was. "I was so impressed with the show because you learn, because most of the stories on the show are true stories." This left her happier due to the fact that she enjoys media based on true stories. She even expressed interest in the suspense of the show and how it kept incorporating the CIA. "So one of the girls that was a CIA agent, she was in the desert in Iran. It was very dangerous. And it showed her going through the desert, trying to run from the terrorists.” She also remarked on her interest in the government agencies: “The CIA has so many secrets. If you question something, it's probably already existing.”

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From movies about a superhero going through very human emotions to an introvert’s romantic wish gone wrong, Walnut Grove High School made sure to make time for some movie theater experiences worth having. There were plenty of different movie experiences (and even a TV show experience) for Walnut Grove High School’s students and staff to enjoy this summer.

Photo courtesy of A24

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